starbug wrote: Is it a religious issue though? You can have a perfectly legal non-religious marriage... at the moment, the state isn't allowing any kind of gay marriage. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you wrote...

People can get married here in the U.S. without ever visiting a church. Any justice of the peace can preside over a wedding. I think many people feel it's more formal and, possibly, appropriate if in a church.

starbug wrote:
The only thing I could think of apart from the sort of rabid frothing already detailed in this thread, is in a tax sense; in the UK spouses have way more tax breaks than cohabiting couples - I'm assuming it's the same in the US. Is the government really just trying to look after its tax pot? I really hope that's not the case.

I know a couple can become "common-law married" if they live together long enough (6 years?), but I don't know if that's in every state or not. I don't know all the requirements for that, either.

On average, I think married couples would certainly get more tax breaks than non-married couples.

"Where it's not just a way of life but a toxic adventure & 60's-style love-in"

Dave Reed wrote:I know a couple can become "common-law married" if they live together long enough (6 years?), but I don't know if that's in every state or not. I don't know all the requirements for that, either.

It varies from state to state and some don't even recognize it at all.

starbug wrote:You could give gay and lesbian couples 'registered partnerships' and put them on the same legal footing as a marriage. Just don't call it marriage.

Thats what I thought for a long time, but in the last month I've realized that there have been rulings against being "separate but equal" and that there's a good reason for it.

That is exactly the reasoning that the Massachusetts Supreme Court used its recent ruling.

90% of the population opposed same sex marraige when it was ruled legal. Right now only 60% of the population opposes gay marraige (and that number drops drastically when it is civil unions, so not all of them are violently against the idea).

And the polling says that younger Americans, 18-34 are more in favor gay marriage and civil unions. This is the fastest growing segment of American society. Time is on the side of acceptance.

I have to say, after watching all the talking heads on tv in the last week (gay marriage, Passion, FCC), that William Donohue, head of the Catholic League is one of the most hateful, bitter men I've ever seen. The pure hate dripping from his lips was utterly disgusting. He had literally yelled himself red in the face, and began spitting while he talked.

My ex girlfriend was catholic, and I respected it, but I was tempted after seeing this guy on tv to write to the Catholic League and tell them its no wonder people get the wrong impression about them. After watching his performance, I would end up thinking Catholicism was all about hate and loathing for the fellow man, and not compassion.

Alright, enough of hijacking my own thread off topic.

Everybody has their nuts. The Catholic League is just one of them, and I am Catholic talking. Most American Catholics that I know are not idealogues like the league and Mel Gibson. Most are "cafeteria Catholics", picking and choosing among various church stands on various church issues.